Apparatus



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. B, WOQDARD.

. VULGANIZING APPARATUS. No.. 384,183. Patented June 5,1888.

` y ,e3 l M ,9 ff A? f/ y v w 49 A 1 y gf a f 16 r? Hiya u Il

W @lomzo 7750 @@5715 N. PETERS. Photoullwgraphn. wphingto' uc.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

mme A. B. WooDARD. i

VULGANIZING APPARATUS. Y l No. 384.183. Patented June 5, 1888.

Inv-enjoy: whim-15'. modaw,

, N.4 Pneus mmtmgnpw. wwwa. nja

- canizing-vessel and its connections.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

ALONZO B. VOODARD, OF ANDOVER, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO RICHARD W.BARNEY, OF HORNELLSVILLE, NEW YORK.

vuLoANlzlNo APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 384,183, dated June 5,1888.

Application filed August 18, 1887. Serial No. 247,291. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

lfie it known that I, ALONZO B. WOODARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Andover, in the county of Allegany and State of New York,have invented new and useful Improvements in Vulcanizing Apparatus, ofwhich .the following is a specification.

My invention relates `to vulcanizing apparatus of the class usuallyemployed in dental establishments, and the purpose thereof is to providesimple and effective means whereby the asks may be automatically closedby the pressure of steam generated during the vulcanizing process. It ismy purpose, also, to combine with said apparatus devices whereby thesteam-pressure may be counteracted by an air-cushion, the resistance ofwhich may be varied to prolong the time occupied in closing the fiasks,as circumstances may require. It is my further purpose to provide astrong, slmple, and comparatively inexpensive vuleanizing-vessel, and tocombine therewith a simple device for sealing the same and retaining itin a tightly-closed condition throughout the process.

To these ends the'invention consists in the several novel features ofconstruction and new combinations of parts, hereinafter fully set forth,and then specifically pointed out and leued in the claims following thisspecifica- I1on.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a central vertical section ofan apparatus in which my invention is embodied. Fig. 2 is a similar viewillustrating the improved vul- Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 2, thevessel and clamping-screw being removed.

In the said drawings, the reference-numeral l denotes thevulcanizing-vessel, having an enlarged internally-threaded annulus, 2,at its top. At the bottom of this annulus a groove is cut, in which islaid a packing-ring, 3, confined between the annulus 2 and the rim la ofthe vessel l. The cover 4. is `provided with a male thread, which mesheswith the internal thread of the annulus, the edge of said cover restingupon the packing. Upon the interior the cover is provided at regularintervals with bracket-pieces 5, having vertical edges which yare allconcentric with the cover. Through a boss, 6, on the top is tapped a rodor bar, 7, upon the lower end of which is rigidly mounted a head, 8.Within an angular circumferential groove in this head is placed apacking, 9, and a ring, 10, having an annular ange, 1]., is arranged onthe under side ofthe head, the flange being drawn up against the packing9 by means 'of screws 12, passing through the ring and tapped throughthe head. Upon the bar 7, between the head and the cover, is mounted apiston, 13, having the form of an inverted cup. This piston has abearing on its outer face upon the vertical edges of the bracket pieces5, and the inner face bears against the packing 9, forming a tight jointbetween the head 8 and the piston. Around the bar 7 the piston iscountersunk and receives a packing, 14, which lies around the bar, anut, 15, being screwed down thereon to confine and expand the packing.By this construction a steam-tight chamber, 16, is formed within thepiston, and leading therefrom is an air-chan nel, 17, in the bar 7, saidchannel passing through a plug, 18, having a valve-chamber, 19. Aconical spring-pressed valve, 20, closes this channel, the stem 21 ofthe valve projecting somewhat above the top of the plug 18, and thespring 22 being coiled around the stem. A screw-cap, 23, compresses thespring, and may, when desired, be turned down to bear upon the end ofthe valve-stein and positively close the airchannel17. A plug, 24, istapped through the cover at one side and provided with a bore, 25, whichis closed by a valve, 26. This valve may be held upon its seat by thescrew-cap 27, or by any other convenient means. This device givescommunication with the top of the vulcanizing-chamber. In both the plugs18 and 24 an opening, 28, below the screw-caps, leads from thevalvechamber to the outer air.

The numeral 29 indicates the vulcanizingiiasks, and 30 denotes thelidstherefor. These parts may be of any known construction, the dimensionsof the vulcanizing-vessel with relation to said asks being such as toeffect the closing of the latter by a downward movement equal to thedrop of the piston upon the bar 7.

ICO

A thermometer, 31, may be mounted upon the cover in any suitable manner.

The method of using this apparatus isas follows: The liasks beingarranged therein in the manner shown, and the piston 13 resting upon thelid of the upper ask, the valve 20 is closed and heat.applied in theusual manner. As steam forms, the air in the vessel rises to the top,and may be drawn oftor allowed to escape by partly unscrewing the cap27. As the steam-pressure rises, the piston 13 is pressed downward; butthis pressure may be counteracted by turning the screw-cap 23 downagainst the valve-stem. This causes the retention of the air withinthe'piston, andthe latter therefore cushions upon the imprisoned air. Byreleasing the valve, however, this counteracting element may be at anytime removed,whereon the steam-pressure will act upon the piston toclose the asks without obstruction. In cases where it is desirable thatthe flasks should be closed gradually, this feature may be utilized withmuch advantage, as the valve may be so manipulated as to allow a verygradual airescape and cause the llasks to close as slowly as may berequired.

Instead ofthe vulcanizing-vessel shown and described, I may use-thatshown in Fig. 2. rlhis consists of a body, 32, having an oliset, 33, inwhich is formed a groove containing ae packing, 34. The cover seats uponthis packing,andthevessel is then set within the clamping frame 36,having va screw, 37, tapped through its top. Upon this. screw isswiveled a block, 3S, which rests on a boss, 39, on the cover. The screwis turned by a lever, 40, whereby the cover maybe forced down cwith anydesired power.

It is evident that the flask-,closing devices, consisting of a pistonmoving upon a rigid support and containing an air-chamber inclosedbetween said piston anda rigid head, might be applied to any vulcanizer,the pressure ofthe steam closing the flasks against the resistingpressure ofthe air in the chamber 16. This change would simply consistin omitting theair-escape from air chamber 16, and my inventioncontemplates this modification in construction.

"What I claim is- 1. rIhe combinatiomwith a vulcaniZing-vesselhavingarigid bar depending from its cover, ofa head and a piston,onerigidly and the other movably mounted on said bar and forming astearn-tight air-chamber between the head and the piston, and anair-escape from said chamber, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the cover of a vul'- canizing vessel havingvertical concentric guides, of a central bar, a piston movable upon saidbar and havinga depending peripheral flange bearing on the verticalguides, a rigid head on the bar packed within the flange of the piston,and a valve closing a channel in the bar, which communicates with thespace between the head and the piston and with the outer air,substantially as described.

3. The combinatiomin a vulcanizing-vessel, of a cover Ahaving interiorconcentric vertical guides and provided with a central bar dependinginside the cover, and having a channel leading to a valve-chamber ina-plug above the cover, ofa piston moving on said bar and having adepending iiange bearing on the guides, a head rigidly mounted on thebar within the flange ofthe piston, av spring-actuated valve in thechamber of the plug above the cover, a screw-cap adapted to bear againstthe stem of said valve, and an air-conducting plug communicating withthe interior of the vessel and having a valve closed by a screwcap,substantially as described.

4. The combination,with a vulcanizing-vessel, of a series of verticalconcentric guides mounted internally upon the cover, a central bardepending therefrom, a piston moving on said bar and having a dependingflange bearing on said guides, a head rigidly mounted on the bar withinsaid flange, an air-conducting plug having a valve and communicatingwith the interior of the vessel, and a similar plug having a channelcommunicating with a channel in the bar, said plug having a valve-seat,a spring-closed valve, and a' screw-cap which may be engaged with thevalve-stem, substantiall y as described.

5. The combination, with the cover 4, having vertical guides 5 andprovided with a central bar, 7, of the piston 13, having a packing andnut surrounding said bar, the head 8, having a packing, 9, the ring 10,having annular flange 11, the plug 18, having valvechamber 19,communicating with an air-channel, 17, in the bar 7, the valve 20, andscrewcap 23, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

ALONZO B. WOODARD.

Vitnesses:

WM. C. BINGHAM, Rican. W.- BARNEY.

IOO

